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Merithan City-States
General Location: The northeastern shore of the Sea of Winds, north to the Darim Hills and the Icespires Racial Mix: Human 86% Xeph 11% Goliath 3% Religious Mix: Followers of Dariman 77% Heavenly Twins 6% Darilethemag 2% Agnostic 12% Atheistic 3% Languages: Merifel, Kaleit, Xilxa, Xalxith Mounts Military Civilian Individual Dire Wolf Oxen Draft War Oxen Oxen Basic Architectural Style: Mediterrean; large columned breezeways and porticos. Basic Clothing Style: Long tunics, layered Gift and Rest days: Name When Type Day of the Prophet 39th day after the Spring Equinox Holiday Reckoning Day 14th day after the Fall Equinox Holiday Festival of Forgiveness Spring Equinox Gift Ascension Day First full moon after Midsummer Rest The Kofij Games Midsummer Rest Countries City-state Size Location Arxith 2,700,000 The shore below the southeastern tip of the Darim Hills Baiselant 1,500,000 The eastern pass into Merith Valley Gemmiril 450,000 Where the Darim Hills meet the Icespires Daril 1,800,000 Northwestern tip of the Darim Hills Epioxth 1,200,000 On the shore, midway between Arxith and Zurix Zurix 2,400,000 The bay below the Kofij Hills Hurith 1,050,000 On the eastern shore, due west of the southern tip of the Kofij Hills Thimixil 750,000 The western tip of the Kofij Hills Irxatol 3,300,000 The western side of the Gate of Winds Total: 15,000,000 General Description The Merithan city-states are highly mercantile, egalitarian, religious, and militaristic. There is no discriminatory bias between the sexes, though gender-oriented occupational differences are well noted. Unlike the Xalar Empire, mercantilism in the Merithan cities is dominated by artisans, craftsman, and small businesses. Merchant princes are rare, and large ostentatious displays of wealth rarer still. These small business owners are invariably bound together in guilds. The guilds, in turn, are very active politically, ruling the cities through Councils, and funding the city-states' armies. The guilds, however, are secondary in power to the Followers of Dariman, the overwhelmingly predominant religion. The Councils are always headed by the local Shepherd, the Dariman bishop. Secular and religious law are very intermingled, and those who are not a follower of Dariman's teachings are heavily persecuted. The worst presecution is extended to the worshippers of the Darilthemag pantheon, and atheists. Foreigners can expect to experience a great deal of prosletyzing. Dariman taught that heaven could only be reached through perfection of the body, preferrably through exercise and military skill, perfection of the mind through meditation and scholarship, and perfection of faith, through the adherence to the moral teachings and rituals of the One God. Dariman's also stressed of the equality of man, and his common worth and worthiness. Dariman's peaceful teachings resulted in the formation of the Kofij games, first held in Zurix. The games involve athletics (solo and in teams), martial demonstratios, and duels and melees. And for the month before and after they are held, the games are almost the sole conversational topic and focus of all Merithans. Merithans of all stripes typically wear multiple long tunics layered over one another. The tunics often bare the chest (especially for athelitically fit males), and are usually sleeveless. The number of over layers reflects the number of different organizations the wearer is involved with socially. The over layers often have extensive decoration. The base tunic is usually of a single color, though multiple colors are sometimes seen. The undertunic is invariably undyed linen. Naming Traditions There are no strong naming traditions, though female names tend to begin or end (often both) with a vowel. Marriage Traditions While marriage is ostensibly between a single man and woman, it is not uncommon for multiple couples to live together communally. In such cases, partner trading is not unheard of, though not always welcome. Divorce is permitted, but requires a priest's intervention and approval. History and Other Notes Of the city-states, Zurix is the oldest, and Basielant the youngest. The others, in order of founding, are Arxith, Irxatol, Daril, Epioxth, Thimixil, Gemmiril, and Hurith. Daril (and its Hills) were renamed after the Prophet Dariman died; both were called Doraxir originally. The Kofij Games are held in a large, bowl-shaped valley very near Hurith, only a few hours' walk away. In fact, Hurith's founding and growth are tied to the Games. Category: Setting Category: Cultures